At least seven people died, six were injured and one missing as tropical storm Haitang, the fourth storm to hit Vietnam this year, slammed into the central region early this week.

As of Thursday morning, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue Provinces had reported two deaths each while Phu Yen, Quang Nam and Kon Tum Provinces recorded one death each, the Central and Central Highlands Regions' Flood and Storm Prevention Center announced Thursday.

The storm also damaged 6,628 houses and six vessels and inundated 4,909 hectares of paddy fields and 2,051 hectares of other crops.

According to the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Center, the fifth storm of this year Nesat may make landfall in Vietnam on Friday.